Recognising a roadway coating on a roadway

Abstract

A method, in particular a computer-implemented method, for recognizing a roadway coating on a roadway by means of a vehicle camera system of a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes providing a first image of the vehicle surroundings acquired with the vehicle camera system with a first exposure time; providing a second image of the vehicle surroundings with a second exposure time which is longer than the first exposure time; and determining a statement about the presence of a roadway coating at least on the basis of the second image. A computer program is disclosed which is configured to carry out the method, and to a computer-readable storage medium on which the computer program is stored.

1 . A computer-implemented method, for recognizing a roadway coating on a roadway by a vehicle camera system of a vehicle, the method comprising:
 providing a first image of the vehicle surroundings acquired with the vehicle camera system, with a first exposure time,   providing a second image of the vehicle surroundings with a second exposure time which is longer than the first exposure time, and   determining a statement about the presence of a roadway coating at least on the basis of the second image.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the roadway coating is at least one of water, snow, ice, leaves, particles comprising sand or dust. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining a statement about at least one of a friction coefficient or a friction coefficient class for the vehicle which is located on the roadway, on the basis of at least one of the statement about the presence of the roadway coating or a type of roadway coating. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the roadway coating is water, and the method further comprises determining a depth of the water forming the roadway coating. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , further comprising determining a statement about a risk of aquaplaning on the basis of at least one of the water depth, a speed of the vehicle or a slip behavior of at least one tire of the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the second exposure time as a function of the first exposure time established by an exposure control or/regulation device. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the second exposure time as a function of a speed of the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the second exposure time as a function of a brightness of the vehicle surroundings. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , starting from the first exposure time, the second exposure time is gradually increased, at predefinable intervals, in predefinable stages, or a predefinable factor. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining a type of roadway coating, wherein at least one of determining the statement about the presence of a roadway coating or determining a type of roadway coating uses, machine learning. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one of determining the statement about the presence of a roadway coating or determining the type of roadway coating uses at least one trained neural network wherein the trained neural network is configured to determine and to output at least one of the presence of the roadway coating a type of the roadway coating at least on the basis of the second image. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one of determining the statement about the presence of a roadway coating or determining the type of roadway coating is determined using at least one decision tree on the basis of a random forest. 
     
     
         13 . Use of the method according to  claim 1  for recognizing a roadway coating in the case of little or no lighting. 
     
     
         14 . A computer program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and comprising commands which, when the computer program is executed by a computer, prompt the computer to carry out the method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . (canceled)